Froh, Kelly – The Greatest

Ah, to live in a world where the talented small press comics people had all the resources in the world at their disposal. I’m generally a fan of Kelly’s covers anyway (mostly because the combination of the title and her often fantastic title got me wanting to read the book immediately, which is kind of the point of a cover), but in this case she got a friend from art school to design the book for her (his name is Manfred Naescher if you wanted to look him up) and he designed a really gorgeous book. Crikey, do I need to get my parenthetical asides under control. Anyway, this comic is basically a listing of some of the more interesting seniors that Kelly has met working in retirement centers and their various personalities. It’s not as dense as some of her more personal comics, but there’s still plenty in here to love. That sample below was my favorite, but there’s lots to choose from, and I always love it when there’s coloring in small press comics that’s done this well. A low bar to clear, you would think, but it’s surprising how many people either rush that aspect or screw it up. With her experience in this field I’d say maybe it’s time for a new generation of Duplex Planet, what with David Greenberger not doing the comics any more (unless I somehow missed any new stuff completely since around the year 2000). Kelly clearly has some stories to tell in this field, and there’s always a place in the world for some forgotten wisdom from people who have seen it all. Or, you know, just guys with half a moustache. $4